Percussion-fuse.



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WILHELM SCHWARTZ, OF ESSEN-RTTENSCHEID, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GER- MANY.

PERCUSSION-FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

T0 all 'LU/1,0712, t pta/y concern:

Be it known that I, W'ILHELM SCHWARTZ, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Essen-Rttenscheid, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Percussion-Fuses, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to percussion fuses, in which of the two parts which carry the igniting mediums (the needle bolt and the primer bolt) one at least engages by a screw j thread in a part of the fuse, and can be set in l motion by a centrifugal body which is capaj ble of rotating freely in the fuse.

The object of the invention. is to eliminate the conversion of the fuse into the so-called live condition, and thus provide a fuse of a safety hitherto unattained.

In the drawing is shown a constructional example of the subject matter of the invention. Figure 1 being a longitudinal section through the fuse, Fig. f2 a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 the same longitudinal section as Fig. 1, but with one part in another position.

The primer bolt B, which is provided with the primer A, engages, by a screw thread, in the base C of the fuse. The screw thread runs either right-handed or left-handed, according as the gun barrel, for which the projectiles fitted with the fuse are intended, is ried rightehanded or left-handed. In the interior of the primer bolt, which has a cone shaped end b', is found the ignition passage b2, from which several branch passages b3 eX- tend laterally to the exterior surface of the cone-shaped end b.

In the base C of the fuse is a conical hole c', which is closed like a valve by the conical end b, when the primer bolt assumes the position shown in Eig. 1. The cylindrical needle bolt I) with the needle end d is rigidly connected to the head E of the fuse. The cylindrical centrifugal body F can rotate freely about the stem of the needle bolt. The centrifugal body almost completely fills up the cylindrical hollow space of the fuse provided for its reception. The head of the l primer bolt B engages the centrifugal body F, so that the bolt B can slide, but not rotate, relatively to the said body F, in the manner shown in the drawing.

Before the projectile is fired from the gun the primer bolt B assumes the position shown in Fig. 1. In this position its cone-shaped end b closes up the hole c like a valve, so that in case of an accidental detonation of the primer, the flame cannot reach either the detonator or the bursting charge of the projectile.

lVhen the gun is fired a powerfully accelerated rotary movement is imparted to the projectile, and consequently also to all those parts of the fuse rigidly connected to the projectile. In consequence of its inertia, the centrifugal body F tends to remain statione ary, and therefore seeks also to prevent the unrotatable primer bolt B connected to it, from rotating. In consequence of this, the primer bolt tends to screw itself more iirmly into the base C of the fuse, and to force the cone-shaped end t more firmly into the hole c. Immediately any such movement of the primer is ended, the centrifugal body E also begins to take part in the rotation of the projectile. During the whole of the rest of the Hight of the projectile, no change takes place in the relative position of the parts of the fuse.

Then the projectile strikes an unyielding object, its rotary speed is suddenly and powerfully reduced. The centrifugal body E on the contrary, continues to rotate with undiminished speed. In consequence of this, the primer bolt B becomes unscrewed from the base of the fuse. The result of this movenient is, that firstly the primer is driven on to the needle so that it is detonated, and secondly, as F ig. o shows, the hole c is uncovered, so that the flame produced by the detonation of the primer, can reach the detonator or the bursting charge of the projectile unimpeded. The arrangement in ay also obviously be such that the primer screws into the centrifugal body, and is guided so as to slide, but not rotate, in the base of the fuse. Again, instead of the primer bolt, the needle, or both the needle bolt as well as the primer bolt, may be so arranged, that when impact takes place, a movement in the direction of the puncture of the primer is imparted to the needle, or to the needle and the primer bolt by the centrifugal body.

II aving new described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A percussion fuse comprising a part IOO movable to produce ignition, and centrifugally operated means having connection with said part to hold it against rotation during .tlight and to move it upon impact.

2. The combination with the 'fuse body, of

a part movable to produce ignition and having a screw threaded connection with the body, and a centrifugally operated bodT having connection with said part to hold it against movement during the Vflight and to move it upon impact.

3. A percussion fuse comprising a part movable to produce ignition and having a screw threaded. connection with the `fuse body, and centrifugally operated means with which said part has sliding connection causing the said part to be held against movement during the flight and to be moved upon impact.

4. A percussion fuse comprising a part movable to produce ignition and having a screw threaded connection with the fuse body, and means rotating said part upon impact to produce ignition.

5. The combination with the fuse body provided with a hole delivering the iire from the fuse to the charge, of means closing said hole, and means operating upon impact to open said hole.

6. The combination with the fuse body provided with a hole delivering the lire from the fuse to the charge, of means closing said hole, and centrifugally operated means holding the said means to close the opening during flight and moving; said means on impact to open the opening@ 7. The combination with a body provided with a hole delivering the fire Yfrom the fuse to the charge, a valve for said hole having a Screw threaded connection with the body, and means automatically rotating the valve to open the hole.

8. The combination with a body provided with a hole delivering the iire from the 'fuse to the charge, a valve for said hole, having a screw threaded connection with the body, and centrifugally operated means holding said valve closed during flight and opening it upon impact.

9. The combination with a body provided with a hole delivering the fire from the fuse to the charge, a valve for said hole, having -a screw threaded connection with thc body, and centrifugally operated means cont-rolling said valve.

10. .ln a percussion. fuse, the combination with the fuse body, of a centrifugally operated body, and a part having a screw threaded connection with the fuse body and a sliding connection. with the centrifugally operated body.

The foregoing specication signed at Dusseldorf, Germany, this 19th day of June,

WILHELM SCHWARTZ. In presence of- WiLLLiM EssENwEIN, ALFRED SorrLMnYEn. 

